WARNING
October 22, 2026
WARNING
ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF PARTICIPATIN IN MONEY MULE ACTIVITIES
Transferring a bankcard, bank account or access credentials to another person constitutes a CRIMINAL OFFENSE
1. Prohibited Activities
Bank accounts, bankcards, and their access credentials (PIN, CVV, passwords, SMS/OTP codes, and mobile banking applications) must be used exclusively by their rightful owners. The transfer of bank accounts, payment instruments, or identification credentials to third parties is PROHIBITED, except for spouses and close relatives (Clause 14, Article 25 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Payments and Payment Systems”).
PROHIBITED:
– Transferring a bank card or account to another person for remuneration;
– Opening a bank account or obtaining a bank card at the request of or for the benefit or third parties;
– Disclosing PIN codes, CVV numbers, passwords, or verification codes to anyone;
– Withdrawing cash or making money transfers on behalf of third parties for a fee;
– Providing a passport to open bank accounts in another person’s name.
2. Criminal Liability – Article 232-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Offense | Penalty |
Transferring a bank card, account, or access credentials to a third parties for remuneration (Part 1) | Fine of up to 160 MCI (KZT 692,000), community service, or arrest for up to 50 days, with confiscation of property. |
The same offense involving remuneration exceeding 200 MCI or committed on a large scale (Parts 2-3) | Fine up to 4,000 MCI (KZT 17,300,000) or imprisonment for up to 5 years, with confiscation of property. |
Making payments or transfers on behalf of a third party for remuneration (Part 4-6) | Fine up to 5,000 MCI (KZT 21,625,000) or imprisonment for up to 5 years, with confiscation of property. |
Obtaining access to another person’s bank account for illegal transactions (Part 7) | Imprisonment for 3 to 7 years, with confiscation of property |
3. Other Consequences
– Registration of a criminal case in the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations (URPI), preventive measures, and a ban on leaving the Republic of Kazakhstan throughout the investigation and trial;
– Expulsion from the Republic of Kazakhstan by court decision (Article 51 of the Criminal Code of the RK; Article 51 of the Criminal Code of Administrative Offenses of the RK);
– A five-year ban on entry into the Republic of Kazakhstan (Article 22 of the Law of the RK “On the Legal Status of Foreigners”);
– Denial of entry and reduction of the permitted period of stay under migration legislation;
– Blocking of all bank accounts and cards, termination of banking agreements, and denial of financial servicecs;
– Recovery of damage and unjust enrichment (Article 953 of the Civil Code of the RK);
4. Common Methods Used to Recruit Individuals
Recruitment offers often appear in messaging applications and job advertisements under the guise of “easy money”, including: “Get a bank card for KZT 10,000-100,000”; “Receive and forward money transfers”; “Withdraw cash and hand it over a courier”; “Rent out your bank card”; “Give your bank card to an employer or intermediary during recruitment”.
5. If You Have Already Transferred Your Bank Card
Immediately block your bank card through the bank’s mobile application or at a bank branch ad contact the police by calling 102. A person who commits this offense for the first time, voluntarily reports it, and assists in its investigation shall be exempt from criminal liability (Note to Article 232-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan).